Entries for the 'Helpful Tips' Category

19

At SmallWaterSupply.org we have a strong appreciation for resources that are truly helpful, especially the ones that break it down and make your job a little easier. This chart from HDR is not brand new, but it might be new to you. Below is just one of the two huge pages with great tips for operators. 

With this chart, you can learn how to perform water loss account, how to prevent contamination and how to calculate just about everything. It is the perfect go-to reference to hang in the office at your water system.  

If you don't have an easy way to print it out, you can even order a poster directly from HDR.

03
 Now that the Tribal Resources page is active, we thought it would be a good time to go through some of the best ways to search our site for tribal events and training.
 
The Tribal Difference
Tribal water and wastewater operators have a different process for certification.  They follow the certification requirements for the National Tribal Operator Certification program.  Because this certification doesn't follow any state boundaries, a tribal operator can't easily find training nearby using the "State" search in our event calendar, even though one of the options is "National Tribal Operator Certification"  If you select State=National Tribal Operator Certification, your results will include tribal events from all over the country. 
 
How The 'State' Criteria Works In the Event Search
Our database and search program uses both the location of the event and the state offering CEU's as criteria when you search by state.  So, if you search by State=Arizona, then all events in Arizona, including tribal events, will be displayed.  Any training in a different state that is accepted by Arizona for CEU credit will also be displayed. 
 
Our System Narrows It Down For You
The best approach for finding tribal events near you is to use a series of conditions.  For instance, if you are in Arizona, then first select, 'State=Arizona", then use the 2nd filter select button to choose 'Category=Tribal'.  You could also put 'tribal' in the key word filter, or if you were searching for training from a specific organization, like the Indian Health Service, you could use the 2nd filter select button to choose, 'Sponsor=Indian Health Service', and only IHS events in Arizona would be displayed.
 
Be Creative
Searching for information is all about the words you use.  If you are looking for a specific training, say about arsenic, you can use the 3rd filter select button to narrow the search down even further to only those tribal events in Arizona that have a component of the training dealing with arsenic.  Or you could select 'State=National Tribal Operator Certification', and then 'Category=Arsenic' in the 2nd filter. Most of the time you won't need to get that specific, there aren't so many events on the calendar that you have to use the 3rd filter, but sometimes it can happen.   
 
Here's a what a search would look like after applying all three filters:
 
 
 
Most importantly, if you have any trouble finding events, or documents of interest for that matter, call or email us.  We will gladly assist you in searching for information, or even walking through a short tutorial over the phone to answer your questions and help you find what you are looking for.
 
31
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released a new document, the Drinking Water Advisory Communication Toolbox.  This 162 page document was a collaborative effort among 6 organizations that all work in the drinking water and environmental health fields.
 
What Is It?
The Toolbox provides protocols for communicating with stakeholders and the public about water advisories and has practical information on how to plan for, develop, implement, and evaluate drinking water advisories.
 
How is this document different?
It is to date, the most far reaching effort to help prepare and assist drinking water systems in dealing with drinking water advisories to their customers that we have seen. The document recognizes the degrees of severity where advisories might be needed, from a drop in pressure,to a hurricane, and everything in between. It has practical solutions that affect the types of tools, planning, and communication needed for specific situations.
 
More importantly, it was developed by consensus among a tremendous number of stakeholders, industry folks, water systems, and technical assistance providers.  The list of acknowledgements is over 3 pages long and includes over 50 water systems.  They really did their research, compiling over 500 documents related to advisories, and conducting over 100 interviews.
 
What does that mean for me?
It means it will be a useful tool that you can use when you need to prepare a drinking water advisory. It also means the document is well thought out, organized, practical, and useful.  
 
That's a lot to read!
We agree, the problem is that it is 162 pages long.  We hope to help with that aspect by breaking the toolbox down in subsequent blog posts and highlighting the things we feel are most relevant for small systems.  Stay tuned for more, but if you get the chance, take a look.  You can find the report here.   
08

Earlier this year, we shared why we love Facebook Pages as an inexpensive (i.e. free) and easy-to-use method of developing a web presence that also allows you to interact with customers. Today we want to show you exactly how to create a Page.


Setting Up your Facebook Page

This short video shows how easy it is to create a Facebook Page. Below the video, we've added helpful tips. 

  • The URL to get started with your page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
  • First select Company, Organization or Institution and then Energy/Utility or Government Organization (as appropriate).
  • Follow the wizard to customize your Page
    • Images can be up to 180 pixels wide and 540 pixels tall
  • Make sure to click the "Edit Info" icon to add details about your organization.


What to Post on your Page

Now that you've set up your Page, you may be wondering what is next. If you choose to set up a Page, it is important to post updates on a regular basis. You can post announcements like planned hydrant flushing or simple water-related questions for your customers. The goal is not only to broadcast information but also to develop trust between your business and your customers by talking to them person-to-person.


How to Get Fans for your Page

After you create a Page, you want to encourage your customers to "Like" it so they receive your updates in their news stream and can communicate with you. You can include the address of your Facebook Page in your next bill or even add it to your letterhead so it appears on all bills and letters.

Facebook is a place where you can likely find many of your customers. You can stay on their radar and get them involved in your water and/or wastewater system with a Facebook Page.

How To Run Your System Like A Business is a series at SmallWaterSupply.org, appearing on Mondays

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